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822 -973 -WZBG. Third Wednesday of the month, you know it’s going to be a visit with the McCall Behavioral Health Network. I want to introduce a new guest this morning. Farrah McCullough joins us. She’s a family recovery coach with the Community Engagement Department at McCall Behavioral Health Network. Farrah, welcome to the show.
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Thank you for having me.
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Thanks for joining us. When we talk about family recovery, this is something that’s that’s not new at McCall, but it is something that we want to broaden and make better known, right?
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It sure is. We know that the whole support system of the person who we may recognize as the client needs recovery services. And so that is my job as a family recovery coach. I work with family members to provide support to them.
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So the family really is part of the team. I mean, they have to be all in on this. And that’s where you guys facilitate that, right?
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Absolutely. We know that only about 2 % of family members ever get any type of supportive services. And so we want to change that.
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That’s a little surprising. We had a chance to chat before coming in on the show, and I’m thinking, 2 %? Boy, we got a long way to go here. Now, as you and I had this interview, of course, we have a case in point. It’s an extreme worst case scenario, of course, the death of Rob Reiner and his wife, apparently at the hands of a son who has struggled with mental health issues and with substance use disorder. for years.
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The first important thing is that this is not a typical case. This is an extremely rare occurrence, a worst case scenario as we said, but at the same time it puts in the spotlight that this is not something that’s new in American families.
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It’s very true. Very true. And the Reiner family did a beautiful job talking about their struggles. Right. And we just you know, our nation really is talking this week about how we can show up for our loved ones who are struggling. And I just really want to dispel the stigma that’s being perpetuated that folks who struggle with mental health and addiction are violent.
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This was a rare occurrence and it was devastating and horrific. Very much so, but it does point up that this, I don’t want to say we need to normalize this, but we need to accept that this is normal, that people struggle. I mean two plain facts here, people struggle, I think we’re getting ourselves around that fact now and getting past that stigma when it comes to mental health and substance issues.
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And the other is that they’re part of some family somewhere, so that family dynamic is going to be part of the picture and we want to move them toward recovery.
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Absolutely, and I wish that we had our program across the nation because I think that we’re really doing some niche and special work with family members here in Litchfield County and really we’re growing so across a lot of Connecticut now. Now holidays can be especially challenging because it can be a very emotional time and lots of times differences in families can come to the fore and can be exacerbated during the holidays. Let’s talk about how we navigate that a little bit for families out that are thinking, oh boy, here we go.
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So just a few words about that.
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Sure, sure. I am working with a lot of families right now who are headed into the holidays and these are confusing feelings that they’re having and that, you know, be challenging to honor our difficult feelings. You may be thinking, why is everyone else so happy right now? I am not feeling it. And what is wrong with me?
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And there’s nothing wrong with you. And I often suggest making a list and starting to acknowledge what is difficult and potentially uncomfortable. as you head into the holidays. Because when we name what values to us, we can set boundaries around that to protect what makes us happy. And so there can be happiness. There can be joy.
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Try to show your loved ones compassion if they are uncomfortable with your limits that you’ve set. Don’t over explain.
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Don’t apologize.
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Right.
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The deeper you can get into the weeds, the weedier it gets.
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That is so true.
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Yeah. So try to keep things as simple as possible, but sort of like not talking about politics at Thanksgiving Certain topics you just let you know what for this holiday gathering.
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Let’s just not go there.
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Absolutely When you think about what can be done to avoid issues that may have caused trauma in the past around the holidays And potentially brainstorm with your loved one and get their buy -in And including them in the process will make them possible more likely to change and give them some motivation. Open communication. Our guest, if you’re joining us this morning, Farrah McCullough, she’s a family recovery coach in the Community Engagement Department at McCall Behavioral Health Network.
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I want to get back to more about the program, about family recovery, because there are lots of families out there, and if they’re hearing this right now, how does that process begin? How do we get people in the mix and start down that path? Sure. It is as simple as our front desk or going on our website and getting in contact with me to make a referral to our program. And then I work with you.
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I meet you where you’re at, literally, whether that is in your home or my office or a coffee shop or a park, wherever you’re comfortable. And I become your your ally. And oftentimes I am. I’m there to listen.
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It’s a lonely place when you have a loved one who you’re not sure how to move forward with and you want to better your relationship and so I’m there for you.
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In your experience when you begin that process with a family is it more likely that the person who is in the struggle might reach out to you or is it some family member who Wants to be the leader in this and wants to get that that family unit moving in a common direction For the most part for my program it is the family member.
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So it’s a parent.
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It’s a sibling. It’s a spouse and they are contacting me and we begin our work and so it is providing education about the stages of addiction and Recovery and change and what that looks like and what that doesn’t look like to improve communication and setting boundaries. And you know, a lot of times family members have become addicted themselves to trying to change and control their loved one’s behavior. So shifting that focus, because often family members suffer from self -neglect. Because they’re so wanting to devote all of their time and energy into their loved one.
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And so I work with them on goal setting and shifting to self -care. Sounds like sometimes unintentionally.
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members who are trying to resolve a problem can create roadblocks of their own that can impede the progress rather than improving it. Absolutely.
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So we work to identify those as well. I know that McCall has lots of safe spaces for families to gather.
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Do you find that that families, when they enter into this process, prefer to do so in their own home or within the space of McCall?
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Or does it vary? It definitely varies. We also have a Wednesday night support group for family members.
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And so that is a beautiful space for family members to come and share and be supported by other family members. So the holidays can be difficult, but this is a time when maybe emotions or awareness are particularly high about an issue that may be going on with a family. Our guest this time has been Farrah McCullough, family recovery coach at McCall.
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Our time is already up, but I wanted to give you a chance just closing remarks or just for folks to reach out if they find themselves in this place. Absolutely. You know, I hope that, you know, the goal is to diminish the dread that people may be feeling. this holiday season and especially if there’s grief if you’ve lost a loved one. So try to be intentional about finding joy.
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And reach out.
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It can be a challenge.
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It sure can. Easier said than done, right? And so have self -compassion. I think that that’s a big part too. And reach out to us about all of our services, but about the Family Recovery Coach Program and our weekly support group that’s called Recovering Together at our website, which is mccallbhn . org and our front desk.
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Those folks are so helpful and they can get you connected.
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The phone number is 860 -496 -2150.
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The important work that you guys do and we wish you all the best continued success in 2026. Thank you so much.
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Happy Holidays. Farrah McCullough. our guest this time on 97 .3 WZBG back to the newsroom.
0:09:43
Hey there, Jeff.